Meteor confirmed, it wasn't just space junk

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/sep/15/fireball-seen-over-uk-confirmed-as-meteor-after-day-of-confusion

When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

[Calpurnia in Julius Caesar - W Shakespeare]

I wonder if it was the type that just skimmed the upper atmosphere and then left. There was one a few decades ago that did that but can't remember which one it was.

The US space agency's Perseverance rover is close to completing its first set of objectives on Mars. The Nasa robot has collected a diverse set of rock samples that it will soon deposit on the surface, awaiting carriage to Earth by later missions.

Perseverance: Nasa Mars rover collects 'amazing' rock samples
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62950404

Roger

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured Neptune in stunning detail, giving scientists a glimpse at some of the planet’s rings that haven’t been seen in more than 30 years https://t.co/wCS1Cyits8

— New Scientist (@newscientist) September 21, 2022

"The Orionid meteor shower will peak on the night of 21-22 October between midnight and dawn. However, if you're looking you should be able to see the shower for several "days either side of this 'maximum' date.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/orionid-meteor-shower-2022-when-where-see-it-uk 

Roger

I hope we have clear nights... 

1 million-mile-long plasma plume shoots out of the sun in stunning photo.

An astrophotographer has captured a hauntingly beautiful image of a massive plume of plasma shooting out of the sun. The fiery filament, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), extended into space to a distance of more than 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from the solar surface, according to the photographer.

Cloud and rain forecast for my area. Peasedown st John.

The anticipated solar eclipse on 25th can be watched on line if it's cloudy.

Heads up for a partial Solar Eclipse on Tuesday 25th October - 10.00 - 12.00hrs.
https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/online/solar-eclipse-october-2022-uk-live-stream

Roger

The Orionid meteor shower will peak on the night of 21-22 October between midnight
and dawn. However, if you're looking you should be able to see the shower for several
days either side of this 'maximum' date.
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/orionid-meteor-shower-2022-when-where-see-it-uk

Roger

James Webb telescope's ghostly 'Pillars of Creation'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63431578 

Roger

Southern Hemisphere and 12-13 November in the Northern Hemisphere.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/taurid-meteor-shower-2022-when-where-see-it-uk 

Roger

If you are at a loose end.....

Marking 50 years since Apollo 17 - join our live Moon viewing - watch on Youtube
7 December | 8pm
https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/online/moon-viewing-live

Roger

You can track its current location here: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/trackartemis/ 

And see some cool photos from the onboard cameras on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/albums/72177720303788800/with/52523215560/ 

Catch one of the biggest meteor showers of the year

"13/14 December – Catch the peak of the Geminids meteor shower"

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-december-2022 

Hopefully with a colder and more settled pattern looking likely Roger, we might get a chance to see the Geminids this year. It's not often you get proper clear nights for it, but this year we might get a better chance.

The Geminids are believed to be just as prolific as the Perseids in August. On a clear, dark night, you might see in excess of 120 meteors an hour.

"The parachute-assisted drop into the sea should occur at about 09:40 local time (17:40 GMT)."

Nasa's Orion capsule on target for splashdown

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63907649 

Although I can see the exciting side of human space exploration, Osprey, it is a slow, costly and tricky business. Then I consider what fantastic work can be done these days with robotic alternatives and I feel a bit of a party-pooper. We already know humans can be sent to the Moon - but human space travel is a short-term and argueably pointless priority when you consider what can be achieved without human cargoes and related life support - for now anyway. I feel perhaps we need to show we can stop trashing planet Earth before we send any of our species elsewhere! This short clip makes my point in a terrestrial context.

Mount Everest has become the world’s highest garbage dump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jCmYUQ1Q88 

I agree 100% (YouTube).  I'd charge them much more and I'd name shame them as well. 

Re moon missions, I reckon that when we've sorted our own backyard, re: climate, famine, war, etc,etc, etc, then we should travel outwards. but it really is a waste of time. There's probably aliens in the next solar system trying to do the same, only they'd be disappointed if they traveled here, as it's the same here as it maybe where they come from, lol. The 60's moon missions were political.

James Webb telescope: Amazing images show the Universe as never before

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64051171 

I think I may need an app (and clear skies!) to help.

If you are not yet a user of Stellarium, let me lure you in, DrM.

It's a free, interactive, open-source planetarium. Very handy.

I've been using it for years. I use the downloaded version.

https://stellarium.org/ 

There's a web version you can try. Not so good IMO,   

https://stellarium-web.org/